The sun rose over Caelum Academy like a blade of light, gilding its towers in gold.
For the gathered crowd of hundreds, it was the beginning of a dream. Young hopefuls in crisp robes buzzed with excitement, whispering about glory, about clans, about rising to heights their parents never touched. The academy was not merely a school; it was the gateway into the hidden world where mystics carved their legends.
Kael Ardyn walked among them, silent.
The weight of whispers clung to him like a shroud.
"That's him—the one who couldn't even awaken a path."
"They still let him in? What a disgrace."
"Must've been pity. Or bribery. No way a failure like that deserves this."
Each word was a barb, but Kael kept his head down, fists clenched at his sides. His failure at the awakening test was still fresh in their minds, the memory replaying in his own head like a cruel jest. The crystal orb had glowed for every other student—bright with fire, wind, thunder, light. For him, it had been nothing but cold silence.
And yet, somehow, his name had been posted among the accepted.
He didn't understand it himself. Perhaps it was some obscure academy rule, or perhaps a cruel trick to make him the year's laughingstock. Either way, he was here now, standing before the gates of the most renowned institution in the realm.
Caelum Academy was a wonder.
From the outside, it looked like a modern sprawl of sleek towers and glass, but the moment Kael stepped closer, he felt the truth humming beneath. Wards shimmered faintly in the air, layered seals etched into the very stone. The ground pulsed with energy paths—Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Light—all woven into a lattice that seemed to hum in greeting.
The world of ordinary people had no idea such a place existed. To them, it was just another gated institute for the wealthy. But here, reality bent. Here, the gifted fought, studied, and rose.
Kael's chest tightened.
He had dreamed of this place since he was a boy—back when his parents were still alive, before the whispers of "orphan" and "failure" clung to him. He should have felt joy. Pride. But all he felt was the crushing weight of eyes.
"Candidates, line up!"
The instructor's voice cracked like thunder. Students shuffled into rows across the courtyard, robes rustling, nerves sparking in the air.
A man in silver-threaded robes stepped onto the platform. His hair was streaked with white, but his posture was unyielding, his gaze sharp as a hawk's. "I am Instructor Veylan. For those accepted today, remember this: talent earns you entry, but only effort will keep you alive. The academy does not coddle the weak."
His eyes swept across the crowd… and lingered, just for a heartbeat, on Kael.
Murmurs rose. Some students snickered openly.
"And yet," Veylan continued, voice dropping like a hammer, "by decree of the Six Paths, each generation must admit one with no visible affinity. To remind us that strength is not only in power, but in will. This year—" His gaze flicked again, unmistakable now. "—that honor falls to Kael Ardyn."
The courtyard erupted.
"What? That useless boy?"
"Is this some kind of joke?"
"They're really letting a failure train alongside us?"
Kael felt his throat tighten. His face burned hot, but he forced himself not to flinch.
Veylan raised a hand, silencing the noise. "Mock him if you wish. But know this—the academy grinds down arrogance as surely as it does weakness. If he survives, it will be through will alone. And if he fails… he will not be the first."
The words cut deep, but there was no malice in them. Only fact.
Kael lowered his gaze, nails biting into his palms. He wanted to scream, to lash out. But he couldn't—not yet.
Instead, he whispered to himself, unheard by anyone else.
"I'll survive. I'll prove you wrong. Every last one of you."
As the students were dismissed to their dorms, Kael trailed at the back of the group. Laughter followed him like shadows.
But as he crossed the threshold into the academy grounds, a shiver ran down his spine. He glanced back—
High on a distant balcony, a cloaked figure watched him. Their face hidden, their presence unreadable.
Kael's breath caught. For a moment, he thought he saw the faint flicker of black flame ripple in the air between them—gone as quickly as it came.
He swallowed hard and turned away.
The gates closed behind him with a resonant clang.
The academy had accepted him. The path had begun.
But whether it would lead to glory… or ruin… was a question only the Shadowfire could answer.